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** Juneteenth. A Day to Celebrate Black Joy!
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Dear John,

Juneteenth is a day to honor Black liberation and resilience. A day for Black Pride. A day to renew our commitments to freedom. A day to celebrate Black joy. Black joy is resistance! Juneteenth, celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s, is the oldest annual commemoration of the ending of slavery. And now, Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States.

In response to the reckoning around racial injustice, systemic racism, and state-sanctioned violence against the Black community, we have seen activists around the world erupt in protest and raise a loud cry for equality and justice. Organizations like the
West Oakland Mural Project ([link removed]) , an Urgent Action Fund (UAF) grantee partner, use art to highlight Black joy and freedom.
Image: West Oakland Mural Project’s mural dedicated to the women of the Black Panther Party.

The West Oakland Mural Project ([link removed]) ’s mural, created on the corner where the Black Panther Party’s co-founder Huey P. Newton was fatally shot, is dedicated to the women of the Black Panther Party. It celebrates the Black women who devoted their lives to the fight for freedom, and with love as a guide, they served the people, body and soul—reminding us that the Black woman is to be celebrated.
Image: (Left) Rachel Wolfe Muralist, Designer & Director of the West Oakland Mural Project and (Right) Jilchristina Vest Visionary, Curator & Homeowner of the West Oakland Mural Project standing in front of the mural dedicated to the women of the Black Panther Party.

On Juneteenth (June 19), the West Oakland Mural Project will be opening The mini-museum ([link removed]) honoring The Black Panther Party. The exhibits of photos, banners, and posters will explore the history of the Black Panther Party while celebrating freedom, liberation, and most importantly, evoking Black joy!

“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”

-Toni Morrison

This Juneteenth, UAF ([link removed]) commemorates the spirit and lives of those who resisted before us and those who continue to resist and fight against injustice and systematic racism. We celebrate those who taught us and whose shoulders we stand on. As a funder of justice and equality, UAF is committed to standing in solidarity with and supporting Black communities across our regions.
In solidarity and celebration,
Shalini Eddens, Deputy Executive Director of UAF

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